Questions/Support Needed

Hi guys,

I've had tinnitus since a young age now, honestly don't know when, from 12 maybe.
I'm not sure how it started, I'm assuming from loud noises from headphones earphones etc but I can't remember ever listening to anything so loud (I don't believe tinnitus is a genetic thing passed down, so I don't know). I've never really payed attention to it over years even though it is pretty bad, however I'm now at that age where I'm 17 in a UK college, and I'm getting stressed over stuff for my course. This isn't making my tinnitus more noticeable as I rarely pay attention to it, however now I'm at that maturing age where I'm starting to worry about my health as I go into adult life.

I think the main points/questions I need to make are as followed

I've never been to the doctors about my tinnitus, it's been a minor thing over the years (obviously pretty bad but I get used to it quickly), my idea is that I have permanent tinnitus, however maybe a build up of wax is bumping up the levels? I always seem to need to clean my ears regularly, however this is my only hope as to lowering my tinnitus and if I go to the doctors for it and nothing comes from it, I'll have no hope left of lowering it bar medication.

Secondly whenever I lie down, the ear I'm lying on has the tinnitus a lot louder than the other

Thirdly, how much worse will it get if I keep using headphonea/earphones? I'm constantly on my xbox, constantly using earphones to block out sounds and concentrate with music at college (also there's a balls ton of stuff I watch for engineering purposes), I'm constantly on xbox too, I genuinely don't think I could live without some sort of ear/head piece.

FOURTHLY AND THE MOST IMPORTANT. I don't know the exact times, maybe every couple of hours, 7 or 8 I don't know, my tinnitus in one ear will become extremely louder for maybe 8 seconds until it comes back down gradually to the normal levels over another 8 seconds, this is so bloody weird.

Any help would be appreciated

 

Your T gets louder when you lay on your ear because other sound isn't getting in. It's not actually getting louder. Ditch the headphones. You'll be glad you did in 20 years. The brief loudness is known here as fleeting t. Lots of people with T get it. I have had it. I don't think anyone knows what it is. Get a hearing test so you have something to compare to in the future. I really wish I had.